Paint masking tool

ABSTRACT

A tool for masking a molding while painting the associated wall portion having two or more interfitting panels adapted to be slid towards or away from each other to selectively vary the total length of the tool in order to mask different lengths of the molding. Each panel consisting of a one piece, elongated structure with two flange portions extending transversely away from the opposite edges of its rectangular center section. One flange being adapted to rest on the top of the molding and the other flange section being adapted to rest on the floor. To receive and hold two of the panels together in an interfitting relationship, the lower flange portion includes a semienclosed trackway along its length which receives in a telescopic manner a similar smaller semienclosed trackway of the other panel.

United States Patent [72] Inventor John D. Van Barriger 33 South Stalop, Aurora, 111. 60505 [211 App]. No. 828,204 [22] Filed May 27,1969 [45] Patented Feb.23, 1971 s41 PAINT MASKING TOOL 5 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

52 use: 118/504 [51] 1nt.Cl. B05c ll/l6 [50] Field ofSearch 118/504,

505; 11718.5, 38; 33/(lnquired); l5/257;40l/l5 [56] References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS 1,292,071 l/19l9 Roe 118/504 1,411,462 4/1922 Wendt.... 118/504 1,696,202 12/1928 Harris 118/505 2,290,472 7/1942 Hendrick 118/505 Primary Examiner-Morris Kaplan Attorney-Johnson. Dienner, Emrich, Verbeck & Wagner ABSTRACT: A tool for masking a molding while painting the associated wall portion having two or more interfitting panels adapted to be slid towards or away from each other to selectively vary the total length of the tool in order to mask different lengths of the molding. Each panel consisting of a one piece, elongated structure with two flange portions extending transversely away from the opposite edges of its rectangular center section. One flange being adapted to rest on the top of the molding and the other flange section being adapted to rest on the floor. To receive and hold two of the panels together in an interfitting relationship, the lower flange portion includes a semienclosed trackway along its length which receives in a telescopic manner a similar smaller semienclosed trackway of the other panel.

- PATENTEU FEB23 1971 (john/D. V2 3Q)",

PAINT MASKING TOOL DISCLOSURE This invention relates to a shield or mask for temporary use to protect a molding extending around a room from the accidental deposit of paint or other material which is being applied to the wall portion or ceiling immediately adjacent the molding.

One of the major objections to the design of the commercially available paint masking tools is that their length is too short, requiring the user to constantly move the tool along the molding as he proceeds with his painting along the associated wall portion. It would, of course, be desirable for the masking tool to cover a very large area in order to avoid interrupting the painting operation. The reason that it has been necessary in the past to make the masking tool s length relatively short is to accommodate short lengths of the molding often encountered while painting, To overcome this problem or objection,

this invention provides a means for selectively varying the length of the masking tool which permits it to be used along either short or long segments of a molding. .This adjustable feature is accomplished by using a plurality of identically shaped panels which couple together and can be slid towards or away from each other to vary the total effective length of the masking tool.

An object of this invention is to provide a paint masking I shield of particularly simple and effective structure whose length can be varied. I Y 1 Another object of this invention is to provide a paint molding mask or shield which may be mountedon a horizontally installed molding without requiring the use of special securing devices.

A further object of this invention is to provide an adjustable length paint masking tool having a plurality of interfitting panels that can be slid towards and away from each other to selectively vary the total effective length of the tool.

Another object of this invention is to provide a paint masking tool which can be varied in length to cover a large range of lengths of molding.

Another object of this invention is to provide an adjustable length paint masking tool having a plurality of panels which can be interfitted together in a sliding relationship, wherein each panel has a semi-closed trackway of a second panel and firmly hold the second panel in an interfitting relationship.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the following specification proceeds in the features of novelty which characterize the invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims next to and forming a part of the specification.

For a better understanding of the present invention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of my invention, illustrated as masking a length of a molding.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partial top elevational view of the embodiment of my invention shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the embodiment of my invention shown in FIG. 1 taken from the right side thereof.

There is shown in FIG. 1, one embodiment of my invention which is referred herein as a paint masking tool and is generally designated by the reference numeral 10. The paint masking tool 10 shown in FIG. 1 has three interfitting panels, generally designated by the reference numerals ll, 12 and 13, which shield a long length of a wall molding, generally designated by the reference numeral 14 which extends around the lower edge of the sidewalls in a room. Each panel 11, 12 or 13 has a generally rectangular shaped center section 16 and flange sections 18 and 19 extending from the opposite longitudinal edges of the center section 16. The upper flange section I8 extends away from the center section 16 at an obtuse angle such that its upper edge 22 will rest'substantially flat along the top surface of the molding 14, as depicted in FIG. 2. The lower flange section 20 consists of four short continuous segments to define a generally C-shaped cross section. The segment 24 of lower flange section 20 projects from the center section 16 at an obtuse angle and together with the adjacent segment 26 at the inner-section with the adjacent segment 26 forms a sharply defined corner which tends to dig into the floor surface to hold the paint masking tool 10 in position.

The lower flange section 20 has the C-shaped configuration to provide a semienclosed trackway or guideway to receive another panel in an interfitting relationship. The lower flange sections 20' and 20" of the other two panels 12 and 13 have identical shapes as the panel 11 but their dimensions are somewhat varied to accommodate their fitting together in a sliding relationship. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the panel 13 has a slightly larger cross section size for its lower flange portion 20" in order to telescopically receive the corresponding flange portion 20' of panel 12. Similarly the flange portion 20' of the panel 12 has a slightly larger cross-sectional area than the corresponding panel to telescopically receive the lower flange portion 20 of panel 11. Thus, panel 12 is adapted to slide over panel 13 and panel 11 is adapted to slide over panel 12.

In order to conveniently manipulate the masking tool 10 and also to limit the sliding or interfitting of the panels together, each panel 11, 12 and 13 have a knob 25, 25' and 25" respectively, secured to the center section. This knob is located approximately one-third the distance from the righthand edge in each of the panels. Obviously, the location of the knob could be varied as the design requirements suggests. By having the knob at approximately one third the distance from the right-hand edge of each panel, it is possible to vary the length of the painting tool 10 to almost twice its shortest length.

To use the paint masking tool 10, two of the knobs are grasped to position the upper flange portion along the top edge of the molding 14, as depicted in FIG. 1, and the panels 11, 12 and 13 are then moved towards or away from each other depending on the desired area to be masked or shielded. Any paint drops landing on the paint masking tool 10, will roll down the middle panel section 16. To prevent any paint drippings from being deposited on the floor of the room, the lower flange portion 20 serves as a collection point preventing any paint drippings from going beyond that limit.

It should be obvious that further panels could be added to the three panels shown in the drawings, or less panels could be used, including the use of only one panel in very small areas. It should also be obvious that the paint masking tool could be used as a shield for the molding around the upper portion of the wall and around doors and windows.

Iclaim:

l. A paint masking tool for masking the molding around the walls of a room having a plurality of identically shaped panels that couple together in a slidable manner to vary the length of masked area along the molding, each of said panels comprising an elongated member having a substantially flat center section and two flange sections extending transversely in opposite directions away from opposite longitudinal edges of said center section at an obtuse angle, one of said flange sections forming a semienclosed trackway to receive and hold in a telescopic manner a correspondingly shaped flange section of another of said panels of the paint masking tool of slightly smaller dimensions, whereby the total effective length of the masking tool can be adjusted by sliding the interfitting panels towards and away from each other.

2. A paint masking tool as defined in claim 1, wherein said semienclosed trackway comprises at least four short continuous length segments.

3. A paint masking tool as defined in claim 1, wherein each of said panels further comprising a knob secured to said center section which serves both as a handle to manipulate the tool and as a stop to limit the movement of the adjacent panel along said trackway.

4. A paint masking tool for masking the molding around the walls of a room having a plurality of identically shaped panels that couple together in a slidable manner to vary the length of the masked area along the molding, each of said panels comprising an elongated member having a rectangular shaped center section and two flange sections extending transversely in opposite directions away from opposite longitudinal edges of said center section at an obtuse angle one of said flange sections having a C-shaped cross section to form a semienclosed trackway to receive and hold in a telescopic manner a corresponding flange section of another of said panels of the paint masking tool having a C-shaped cross section of slightly smaller dimensions whereby the total effective length of the masking tool can be adjusted by sliding the interfitting panels towards and away from each other.

5. A paint masking tool as defined in claim 4, wherein said, C-shaped semienclosed trackway is defined by a series of short distinct segments. 

1. A paint masking tool for masking the molding around the walls of a room having a plurality of identically shaped panels that couple together in a slidable manner to vary the length of masked area along the molding, each of said panels comprising an elongated member having a substantially flat center section and two flange sections extending transversely in opposite directions away from opposite longitudinal edges of said center section at an obtuse angle, one of said flange sections forming a semienclosed trackway to receive and hold in a telescopic manner a correspondingly shaped flange section of another of said panels of the paint masking tool of slightly smaller dimensions, whereby the total effective length of the masking tool can be adjusted by sliding the interfitting panels towards and away from each other.
 2. A paint masking tool as defined in claim 1, wherein said semienclosed trackway comprises at least four short continuous length segments.
 3. A paint masking tool as defined in claim 1, wherein each of said panels further comprising a knob secured to said center section which serves both as a handle to manipulate the tool and as a stop to limit the movement of the adjacent panel along said trackway.
 4. A paint masking tool for masking the molding around the walls of a room having a plurality of identically shaped panels that couple together in a slidable manner to vary the length of the masked area along the molding, each of said panels comprising an elongated member having a rectangular shaped center section and two flange sections extending transversely in opposite directions away from opposite longitudinal edges of said center section at an obtuse angle, one of said flange sections having a C-shaped cross section to form a semienclosed trackway to receive and hold in a telescopic manner a corresponding flange section of another of said panels of the paint masking tool having a C-shaped cross section of slightly smaller dimensions whereby the total effective length of the masking tool can be adjusted by sliding the interfitting panels towards and away from each other.
 5. A paint masking tool as defined in claim 4, wherein said, C-shaped semienclosed trackway is defined by a series of short distinct segments. 